Cotton cleaning and feeding mechanism.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

R. B. LUMPKIN. GOTTON CLEANING AND FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 11, 1907.

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PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

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R. B. LUMPKIN. COTTON CLEANING AND FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1907.

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PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

R. B. LUMPKIN. COTTON CLEANING AND FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1907.

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No. 887,207. I PATENTED MAY 12, 1908. R. B. LUMPKIN.

COTTON CLEANING AND FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. 1907.

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UNITED STATES IPATEN ROBERT B. LUMPKIN, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO AIR BLAST GIN COMPANY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

COTTON CLEANING AND FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed March 11, 1907. Serial No. 361,675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT B. LUMPKIN, a citizen of the United States, residin at Dallas, in the county of Dallas, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton Cleaning and Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for cleaning cotton and feeding the same to gin stands.

The object is to provide means for evenly distributing the cotton within a cleaning chamber and to suspend the cotton in the cleaning chamber where dust and like objectionable particles may be separated from the cotton.

One object is to rovide means to prevent the cotton from failing to the feeding mechanism before the dust has been separated therefrom.

Another object is to provide means for continually feeding the cotton to picker rollers which distribute the cotton to gin stands and to subject the cotton to a further cleaning o eration, the latter operation being accomp ished after the cotton has left the pneuinatic cleaning process.

A still further object is to provide a cotton cleaning and feeding mechanism which is compactly arranged and adapted to feeding a battery of gin stands which are also compactly arranged.

A still further object is to provide novel mechanism whereby the relative s eed of the rotation of the feed and picking r0 lers of the feeder can be changed at will.

Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following descri tion and the invention will be more particu arly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this applica tion and specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cleaner and feeder mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the pneumatic cleaner of the feeder. Fig. 3 is a section on line a a of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section online I) b of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the feeding mechanism of the device, the drive pulley being removed. Fig. 6 is a section on line 0 c of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section on line (1 d of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an enlarged section through the clutch and the adjoining gear of the operating mechanism. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of the means for adjusting the bearing of the gearing which drives the feed aprons. Fig. 10 is a detail view of the gearing which drives the traveling a ron. Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the c caning and feeding mechanism. Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail view of the valve for releasing pneumatic pressure. Fig. 13 illustrates a variation in the feeding mechanism, to wit, rollers arrangedto feed in place of the traveling aprons shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 14 is a detail view of the gearing for driving the rollers shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a broken horizontal section along the line a: :t of Fig. 4.

Similar characters of, reference are used to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the casing of the feeder, the same being provided with an inlet opening 2 at the top thereof.'

Formed within opposite walls of the casing are discharge openings 3 through which cotton is to be discharged into hoods 4 adapted to direct cotton into the gins 5 disposed at opposite sides ofthe feeder. The hoods 4 may be formed partly of screens 6, so that the operator can readily observe the cotton contained within the hoods. A hopper 7 extends along the bottom of the casing 1 and opens into a trough 8 in which is located an endless conveyer 9. This conveyer extends longitudinally within the trough and around suitable supporting sprockets 10 and is adapted to be driven by any desired mechanism for the purpose of conveying from the machine any material which may be deposited in the trough from the hopper. The cotton being gathered by the ickers, hereinafter explained, is thoroughy agitated by the picker teeth and dust and other foreign matter will fall downwards into the hopper 7 and this dust and other matter will be con veyed out of the casing by the belt 9.

Extending longitudinally within the casing 1 and above the center of the hopper 7 is a supporting strip 11 and arranged upon the strip are parallel concave screens 12 secured to the lower walls of the casing 1 below the openings 3. These screens are concentric with the picking rollers 13 disposed longitudinally Within the casing 1 adjacent to I pulleys 42.

' time becomes the openings 3 and provided with radiating teeth 14. These picking rollers are secured on shafts and 16 respectively, and shaft 16 has a gear 17 at one end meshing with the gear 18 screwed on the shaft 15. The other end of the shaft 16 has a small gear 19 there on andv is also provided with pulleys 20 and 21, said pulley 20 receiving motion through a belt 22 from any suitable source, such as the shaft of the gin saws. A lever 23 isfulcrumed upon the shaft 16 and is adapted to slide upon a guide plate 24 having a slot 25 therein to receive a locking bolt 26;. By means of this bolt the lever 23 can be locked at any angle to which it may be adjusted.

A shaft 27 is journaled within the lever 23 and carries at one side a gear 28 which meshes at all times with the gear 17. Connected s rockets of different diameters are feathere upon the shaft 27 and have an integral hub 30 carrying a set screw 31 whereby said sprockets can be secured in any position to which they may be adjusted on shaft 27. Any one of these sprockets is adapted to drive a chain 32 extending around a large sprocket 33 journaled on a stationary shaft 34 extending from the end of casing 1. This sprocket, as shown in Fig. 8, has clutch teeth 35 formed upon one end of the hub and adapted to be engaged by a clutch 36 slid- .ably mounted on the shaft 34 and movably interlocking with the 'hub 37 of a small sprocket 39 which is keyed or otherwise screwed on shaft 34. This clutch is adapted to be shifted by a lever 38 in the engagement with the s rocket hub 35, but it at no disengaged from the hub of sprocket 39.

Extending longitudinally within the casing 1 and above the picking rollers are parallel shafts 40 and 41, each of which carries belt Both of the shafts 40 and 41 ave sprockets 43 and 44 respectively at one end. A chain 45 extends over the sprocket 39 hereinbeforereferred to, and partly around and under sprocket 43 and thence over a sprocket 44, there being an idler sprocket 46 at one side of the casing on which the chain is loo ed. As a result of this arrangement of sproc ets and chains it is apparent that when the sprocket 39 is rotated the two sprockets 43 and 44 will be revolved in opposite directions simultaneously. Traveling aprons 47, which are ribbed, are mounted on and carried by sprocket wheels 70 and pulleys 42,

which are mounted on shafts 40 and 41, and

also mounted on drums or rollers 72. The bearings 73 for drums 72 are made adjustable. A casing 74 for each bearing 73 is attached to the casing 1 and the bearing 73 is adjusted by means of a screw bolt 75 operating through one end of the casing 74. This is desirable when adjusting the traveling aprons 47. 1

Extending upwards from the inlet 2 is a rectangular casing 48 constituting the body of the pneumatic cleaning apparatus. This casing is co-extensive with the casing 1 and the top thereof is open, as at 49, and covered by a housing 50 extending the full length of the casing 48 and constituting a flue 50 which is open at one end, as shown in Fig. 4. This flue 50 leads to a source of cotton supply. Distributing boards 51 are arranged at opposite sides of the'opening 49 and their adj oining edges diverge from the inlet end of the flue 50 so that at that end of said flue farthest from the inlet the space between the distributing boards is equal to the width 'of the flue. This is shown particularly in Fig. 3. The casing 48 has lateral extensions on each side thereof forming suction flues 52 which communicate at the front end of the casing 48 through a hood 53 opening into a fan casing 54. The fan within this casing, and which it is not deemed necessary to show, may be driven in any preferred manner, and in Fig. 1 the same is shown provided with a pulley 55 and belt 56 driven by the pulley 21 hereinbefore referred to. The lower walls of the flues 52 extend. into casing 48 and constitute ledges 57 on which are supported parallel spacing bars 58, which extend upwards to the top of casing 48 and are provided with apertures 59 whereby air is free to circulate through them. Screens 60 are secured upon the spacing bars, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and a screen is also interposed between the hood 53 and the interior of the casing 48, as shown at 61 in Fig. 4. A screen cleaning chamber is thus formed within the casing 48 and the spacing bars 58 prevent the screen 60 from being pressed outward against the walls of the casing 48 above the lateral extensions of said casing. The screen chamber is relatively narrow and has extensive side areas so that much of the cotton will besubjected to drafts of air passing on each side of the screen chamber. The spacing bars form passages on the outside of the screen chamber within the casing 48 from the upper part of the casing down and into the fines 52. The per forations 59 in the spacing bars permits drafts of air to pass freely through the bars, and it is apparent that the air will pass throughout all the spaces on each side of the screen chamber, between the chamber and the walls of the casing 48 until the chamber is entirely full of cotton, and until the chamber is thus entirely full of cotton the cotton is subject to the draft of air on each side thereof. The cotton will be dried and considerable dust will be taken from the cotton through the suction flues 52. Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawing, the force of the draft would be diagonally through the cleaning devices, the draft entering at the upper right hand side of the machine and escaping at the lower left hand side of the machine through flues 52 to hood 53. The

perforations in the spacing bars 58 are made large so that the resistance to the draft is reduced to a minimum.

A supporting leaf or valve 62 is hinged to one of the ledges 57 and is held by means of a weighted arm 63 normally in contact 'with the opposite ledge 57, thereby closing communication between the upper and lower ends of casing 48. The function of the valve 62 is to arrest the cotton between the screens 60 so that the cotton will be subjected to the suction draft. Otherwise the cotton would fall all the way to the feeding mechanism by gravity and thus carry the dust on down to the feeding mechanism. When the casing 48, or rather the space between the screens 60, is filled with cotton, the operator can cause the cotton to be discharged to the feeding mechanism by opening a valve 76 in the hood 53. -While the cotton is in the space between the screens it is supported there on the valve 62 by pneumatic pressure and partly by the weighted arm 63. The opera tor by pulling a cord 77 can open the valve 76, which releases the pneumatic pressure so that the cotton will press the valve 62 downwards which will thus be discharged from the pneumatic cleaning chamber to the feeding mechanism. The valve 62 forms a part -of the side of the casing 48 when down to its lowest position, as shown by dotted" lines in Fig. 2. When the cotton goes down below the posi tion of the valve there is no occasion for closing that part of the casing 48. As soon as the cotton passes below the lower edge of the valve 62 and down the weighted arm 63 starts the valve to the normal position shown in Fig. 2 and the suction will draw the valve up against the ledge 57 on the opposite side of the casing.

The feeder herein described is designed, as

has already been stated, to be used with a plurality of gins, the feeder being disposed above and between them, as shown in Fig. 1. Motion is transmitted to the picking rollers through shaft 16 and gears 17 and 18 and to the feeding aprons through gears 19 and 28, and to shaft 27, and thence through the chain 32 to the sprocket wheel 33. This sprocket drives the chain 45 through sprocket 39 and causes the two feed aprons to travel towards each other simultaneously. The rotation of these feed aprons can be stopped at any time desired by shifting the clutch 36 by means of lever 38. Moreover, the speed of rotation of gear 33 can be increased or diminished by swinging the lever 23 upward or downward and adjusting the sprockets 29 laterally so as to bring one of them into position to engage the chain 32.

The cotton to be fed to the gins is sucked through the flue 50 by the fan in the casing 54, and the diverging boards 51 will prevent all of the cotton from dropping into casing 48 as soon as it assumes a position thereabove. Instead, this cotton will be drawn inward along these boards and gradually distributed throughout the length of the casing 48. As the cotton passes into the casing, the dust and other foreign matter contained in cotton will be sucked through the screens 60 and 61 and into flues 52. When the cotton which has been accumulated within the casing 48 is to be discharged to the feeding mechanism, the pneumatic pressure release valve 76 may be opened by the operator. The weight of thecotton will then overbalance the valve 62 and said valve will open as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the cotton will drop into the open end 2 of casing 1. It will be here engaged by the traveling aprons 47 and pulled gradually downward and forced between these aprons towards the picker rollers. The teeth of the picking rollers will tear the cotton and distribute it within the hoods 4 and any remaining dust or other material will be separated from the cotton and dropped through the screens 12 on to the conveyor 9. will be discharged into the hoods 4 and after passing over the screens 6 will enter the gins. The converging aprons 47 will support the cotton sufficiently to prevent the same from blocking the picker rollers.

It will be seen that by providing apparatus of the character herein described the cotton is thoroughlycleaned and distributed uniformly to each gin of a battery of gins.

Fig. 13 illustrates a variation in the feeding devices. Octagon drums or rollers 78 are mounted on the shafts 40 and 41 and driven in the same manner as before described. Cylindrical rollers 79 are mounted below the octagon rollers and closer together. These rollers operate to feed the cotton to the picker rollers in the same manner as the traveling aprons heretofore described. The cylindrical rollers 79 are driven from the shafts 15 and 16 by cog gearing shown in Fig. 14.

It will be understood from the mechanism herein described that the cotton may be elevated and subjected to a pneumatic process of cleaning and discharged to another part of the casing and subjected to a beating and disintegrating process for separating any remaining dust or foreign matter from the cotton, whereby the cotton is delivered to gin stands and the dust and other foreign matter carried away by the conveyer belt 9.

Another advantage attained by the valve The picked cotton 62 is that a bale of cotton may be held'up while the cotton below the valve is being ginned.

It will be noticed that the mechanism herein described will deliver cotton to four gin stands simultaneously, and that the gin stands may be arranged in pairs.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. A cotton cleaning and feeding mechanism comprising a casing provided with an inlet and an outlet at the top and bottom there of respectively and provided with lateral extensions on each side thereof, a supporting valve movable between the inlet and outlet, a screen chamber within said. casing above said valve, a suction flue in each lateral ex tension, means for forming passages between the walls of said chamber and the walls of said casing above said lateral extension, said passages communicating with said flues on each side of said chamber for the escape of dust and dirt, and means for creating suction through said chamber and passages and flues.

2. A cotton cleaning and feedin mechanism having a casing, a screen chamber within the casing, a feeding valve below said chamber, 'apertured spacing bars between said chamber and the walls of said casing, suction flues, said spacing bars forming passages for the escape of dust and dirt into said flues one on each side of the lower part of said chamber, and means for establishing suction Ehrough said chamber and spacing bars and ues.

3. A cotton cleaning and feeding mechanism having an 0 en top casing, a flue co-extensive with saic casing and provided with a bottom having an opening into said casing narrow at the receiving end and gradually increasing to theopposite end, a valve forming a bottom to said casing, a screen chamber within said casing and spaced from the walls thereof, a suction flue on each side of the lower part of said chamber and in communication with said chamber throughout the length thereof and in communication with the spaces between said chamber and the walls of said casing, and means for establishing suction through said flues and chamber and easing.

4. The combination with a casing havin screens therein, a valve, movably mounter within the casing, of an inlet flue upon and opening throughout the length of the casing, means interposed. between the flue and the casing for forming a passage into the casin gradually increasing from the receiving end and insuring the even distribution of material from the flue and into the casing, and means for establishing suction through said material and the screens.

5. The combination with a casing having screens therein, a valve movably mounted within the casing, of a flue co-extensive with and. opening into the casin throughout the length of said casing, means or forming a passage into the casing narrow at the receiving end and increasing in width to the o posite end and insuring even distribution 0 material from the flue within the casing and upon the valve, and means for establishing a suction through said material and the screens.

6. The combination with a casinghaving screens therein, an inlet flue co extensive with the casing and opening thereinto throughout the length of the casing, of distributing boards interposed between the flue and the casing and converging toward the inlet end of the flue, a valve movably mounted in the casing and disposed to receive material from the flue and to be opened by a predeter mined quantity of said material, and means for establishing a suction through the screens and the material therebetween.

7. In a cotton cleaning apparatus, a casing having lateral extensions on each side thereof, a suction flue in each lateral extension, a receiving and cleaning screen chamber within said casing, the lower part of said screen chamber forming the inner walls of said flues, and spacing devices between said screen chamber and the walls of said casing above said extensions forming passages. for the escape of dust and dirt from said screen chamber into said flues.

8. In a cotton cleaning apparatus, a casing provided with lateral extensions on each side thereof, screens within said casing forming a compartment for receiving cotton, perforated bars on each side of said compartment spacing said screens from the walls of said casing above said extensions and forming passages between said compartment and the walls of said casing down to and into said extensions, each extension forming a suction flue and means for creating suction through said screens and spaces and flues.

9. A cotton cleaning and feeding mechanism comprising a casing for containing a predetermined quantity of cotton, devices in said casing for separating dust and dirt from the cotton, means for establishing suction through said casing, a movable valve sup-- porting the cotton in said casing, a casing forming a feeding compartment below said valve having discharge openings in each side thereof, and cleaning devices mounted in said feeding compartment and serving to remove the dirt nd dust from the cotton and to discharge t e cotton through both of said openings simultaneously.

10. A cotton cleaning and feeding mechanism comprising a casing for containing a predetermined quantity of cotton, devices in said casing for separating dust and dirt from the cotton, means for establishing'suction through said casing, a movable valve supporting the cotton in said casing, a casing forming a feeding compartment below said valve, discharge chutes in communication each side of said compartment, and feeding and cleaning devices mounted in said 1 suction fines at opposite sides of the lower part thereof, means for establishing a suction therethrough, of screens within the casing and extending across the flues, apertured spacing devices interposed between said screens and the walls of the casing forming conduits between the casing and the screens for the escape of dust and dirt into said flues, means for distributing material between the screens, and a counterbalanced valve within the casing and disposed to be overbalanced 'by a predetermined quantity of material between the screens.

12. A cotton cleaning and feeding mechanism having a casing provided with lateral extensions on each side thereof, a screen storage and cleaning chamber within said casing, bars on each side of said chamber spacing the screens of said chamber from the walls of said casing above said extensions and forming passages between said chamber and said walls, a flue in each lateral extension in communication with the passages on each side of said chamber, means for creating suction through said chamber and passages and flues, a valve at the bottom of said chamber, picker rollers, and means for opening said valve whereby cotton is fed from said chamber to said picker rollers.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand in the presence of two witnesses, this 7th day of March, 1907.

ROBERT B. LUMPKIN. Witnesses:

A. L. JAoKsoN, G. H. IRIsH. 

